Fabrizio Giovanardi
Fabrizio Giovanardi (born December 14, 1966 in Sassuolo ) is an Italian racing driver .
Career
Giovanardi grew up mostly in the Fiji Islands as his parents were from there. He was born while his parents were traveling in Italy . That's why they gave him an Italian first name. Later in his life he returned to Italy to pursue his hobby, racing.
Like most racing drivers, he began his career in karting before moving to the Italian Formula 3 championship . In 1989 Giovanardi switched to the International Formula 3000 Championship , where he started for First Racing and won the race in Vallelunga .
A move to touring cars brought him better results and he won the Italian Touring Car Championship in 1992 . In the years that followed, Giovanardi won several European touring car series and was also the Spanish champion in 1997. In 1998 and 1999, he again secured the title of the Italian championship before moving to the revived European Touring Car Championship in 2000 . In 2000, 2001 and 2002 he drove for Alfa Romeo and became European champion in those years. 2003 he moved to BMW , but did not get along with the rear-wheel drive vehicle and went to the year 2004 back to Alfa Romeo. In 2005 , he was third overall in the resumed World Touring Car Championship behind BMW drivers Andy Priaulx and Dirk Müller . In 2006 he moved to the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), where he drove a Vauxhall Astra for the VX Racing team. In Donington he almost won his first win in the series, but collided with Colin Turkington in the last corner . His first win and 100th for Vauxhall was at Knockhill . With a strong second half of the season, he moved up to fifth place in the championship and overtook James Thompson at the last stop of the season . In 2007 he secured the BTCC title after battling it out with Jason Plato all season .
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Giovanardi, Fabrizio |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Italian racing driver |
| DATE OF BIRTH | December 14, 1966 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Sassuolo |